That's my point, if a brand name isn't attached to the specs nobody could tell the difference.

Yes, you can buy 'off the shelf' high zinc phosphorous oils at Walmart. But its slightly tricky, its doesn't matter the brand, Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol.....the amount of zinc/phosphorous will vary depending on viscosity. Don't assume a 10W30 is OK based on 10W40.

 

BTW the Mobil 1 I was using was Zinc of 900. So much higher is obviously the way to go....

 

Mobil 1 15W-50 is designed for hipo engines and has sufficient zinc. It's listed in the chart. That's the one I'd use.

 

Always used VR-1 w no issues. However I went with a Howards retro-roller kit and am quite happy now to be simply entertained by these threads! OP, go roller! It's worth the extra $$$ in just not having to worry about it!

 

It's only the 0W-40 that is 1100. As someone else pointed out, the 15W-50 is even higher. I like the 0W-40, because to meet the viscometrics and volatility specs for that grade requires use of PAO base oils. These are true synthetic, with very good high temperature stability compared with the "synthetic" Group III mineral oils.

 

Your going through this for the THIRD TIME!!! Can't afford a roller cam? Really? Your running a solid lifter flat tappet cam with a fast ramp and heavy springs. Get used to it or buy a roller.

 

With the money spent on more lifters and cams, you could have went roller and avoided all this, jus sayin'. I feel your pain though. If you can go roller, do it and then not worry about oils and additives or break-in anymore. Hope you have better luck in the future.

 

The only M1 grade oils that should be used with a flat tappet cammed engine are Mobil 1 0W-40 EUROPEAN FORMULA and as Redoggie mentioned above as well, Mobil 1 15W-50 (1,200/1,300 ZDDP but not a true synthetic). None of the mass market grade oils from Mobil or any other oil company that are mass market grade oil weights such as 10W-30, 10W-40, 5W-30, 0W-30, etc should be used with flat tappet cams since the ZDDP limit mandated by the EPA is 800 PPM.

Mobil 1 0W-40 European Formula has 1,000/1,100 ZDDP which meets the Zinc requirement for a moderate flat tappet cam/springs, is a true group IV PAO ester based synthetic (unlike the other Mobil 1 "synthetcis" in the US only as well as almost all the other US "synthetics" oils by most of the other oil companies which they are NOT). In addition, Mobil 1 0W-40 European formula besides being the most PAO ester synthetic in the Mobil 1 line MUST meet the MUCH more stringent oil requirements of the European car companies like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche, VW etc which require a PAO ester synthetic and must use a much more robust additive package.

As others have noted, the reduction in ZDDP in oils was mandated by the EPA since Zinc "poisons" the catalyst of the converter and since new car's emissions MUST last 150,000 miles, the additional Zinc hindered the ability of some cats to reach that mileage. Like every thing from the government, the full story is often not told. The zinc could hinder some cats to reach that mileage but higher ZDDP levels do not ensure that to happen. So, in the socialist/communist like society mentality that prevails in this country now, the government mandated that all oils could only have a limit of 800 ppm, which only effects mass market oil weights, NOT speciality oil weights, like 0W-40 Mobil 1 Euro Formula. BTW-My daughter's 01 Pontiac grand prix with 205,000 miles and running Mobil 1 0W-40 for MANY years now is still on the OEM cat...go figure!

Every single piece of power equipment I own and all my cars including my 10C6Z06 uses Mobil 1 0W-40 Euro Formula only...every one! Not one burns any oil or has had a motor fail..not one!

Lastly, the 78 L-82 ran Mobil 1 15W-50 for 20-25 years before the rebuild in 2014. I still have the OEM L-82 cam in my garage before switching to the current Howards Roller (running 0W-40 Mobil 1 BTW) and the cam lopes on the L-82 cam look perfect...almost no wear! I just don't buy that all the flat tappet cam failures are due solely to the oil type but more about the quality of the metal being used on many cams today....just me

 

so, it lubricates so well it wears out parts? nonsense.. thats an old wives tale..and it does not cause leaks either... use synthetics designed for older engines with zinc.. I ve had several flat tappet engines go 275,000 miles on Mobil one

 

This was my experience. The pushrods were not rotating on a fresh build with a GM 30/30 cam. The engine was running a full synthetic oil with GM break in additive. If the lifters do not rotate on a fresh build, the cam and lifters will fail....and they did. Replaced the cam/lifters with identical parts and tried again but this time ran Diesel Spec Rotella and it worked fine. Lifters rotated and the cam lives. Not exactly 100% scientific but I am a believer. YRMV.

 

It wasn't the oil that caused your failure.

 

Flat lifter cam shafts.......unless your car is matching #s to the max......there is just no good reason to do them anymore......and more than a few good reasons to go with a roller cam instead.

 

 

You're right Mako, doesn't make sense not to go with roller. 3 times is over 15 years and 2 engines. Eventually I will get the rollers.

 

not too bad really not everyones got 1000 to blow both arguements are valid
The smaller co's cant afford to turn out stuff that goes bad perhaps try something different Isky Crower and Shneider are in SoCal. Elgin is still around also. No guarantees but think youre chances are better

 

The break in is the key to flat tapped camshaft life; not the oil. The higher performance camshaft kits often come with outer AND inner springs and the inner springs MUST be removed during the critical break in or the camshaft will be damaged.

 

That's true for the first hour of break-in. Then for the next several years the oil DOES determine the Life of the Lobes. If what you say was true, crank and cam bearings would never wear down either after break-in.

I bet if you took two identical flat tappet engines, exact twins, right down to the wingnut on the air cleaner and ran one with no zinc and one with zinc, the first engine wouldn't make it 5,000 miles.

 

Moral of the story, never use Syn oil for break-in.

 

The only conclusion is something is wrong.
Bad parts, bad oil, bad lubrication, wrong springs, wrong geometry, something.

 

Forgot Heavy foot.
Too bad we didn't meet up on the Bowling Green trip.